A30345:714
A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the gradual breakings out of Gospel…A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the graduall breakings out of Gospel…
A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the gradual breakings out of Gospel grace from Adam to Christ are clearly discovered, the differences betwixt the Old and New Testament are laid open, divers errors of Arminians and others are confuted, the nature of uprightness, and the way of Christ in bringing the soul into communion with himself ... are solidly handled / by that faithful servant of Jesus Christ, and minister of the Gospel, John Ball ; published by Simeon Ash.A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the graduall breakings out of Gospel grace from Adam to Christ are clearly discovered, the differences betwixt the Old and New Testament are laid open, divers errours of Arminians and others are confuted, the nature of uprightnesse, and the way of Christ in bringing the soul into communion with himself ... are solidly handled / by that faithfull servant of Jesus Christ, and minister of the Gospel, John Ball ; published by Simeon Ash.
London: printed by G. Miller for Edward Brewster, 1645
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Sixthly, Christians in temptations or distress must not desire or pray, that God would terrify them, or humble them with deep apprehensions of his indignation: for they know not their own strength, whether they be able to bear it, if God should deal severely; they forget that it is God that must make all afflictions profitable, and that of themselves these things tend to despair and hardness of heart: and it is no small unthankfulness to complain of the Physicians care, because he is inclined to deal tenderly with you. Godly sorrow is to be cherished, and so is the desire of, and prayer for more tenderness of heart: but when we pray for more horror, we rely too much upon our selves, and yet consider not our own weakness.
Sixthly, Ch••stians in temptations or distresse must not desire or pray, that God would terrifie them, or humble them with deepe apprehensions of his indignation: for they know not their owne strength, whether they be able to beare it, if God should deale severely; they forget that it is God that must make all afflictions profitable, and that of themselves these things tend to despaire and hardnesse of heart: and it is no small unthankfulnesse to complain of the Physitians care, because he is inclined to deale tenderly with you. Godly sorrow is to be cherished, and so is the desire of, and prayer for more tendernesse of heart: but when we pray for more horrour, we relie too much upon our selves, and yet consider not our own weaknesse.
Seventhly, This preparation is neither saving grace, nor a thing between nature and grace, done by the external aide of the Spirit. It is not saving grace, because it is that, whereby God is pleased to bring us to Christ, and not that, whereby we are renewed to believe, or engrafted into Christ. Nor a thing between nature and grace; as if the Spirit without any habit of grace, did lift us up to the supernatural acts of belief, hope, love: for then we should be-lifted up to acts of life without the habit, which is to make a blind man see without sight, and to make us bear good fruit without sap, or before we be good trees.
Seventhly, This preparation is neither saving grace, nor a thing between nature and grace, done by the externall aide of the Spirit. It is not saving grace, because it is that, whereby God is pleased to bring us to Christ, and not that, whereby we are renewed to believe, or engraffed into Christ. Nor a thing between nature and grace; as if the Spirit without any habit of grace, did lift us up to the supernaturall acts of beliefe, hope, love: for then we should be-lifted up to acts of life without the habit, which is to make a blinde man see without sight, and to make us bear good fruit without sap, or before we be good trees.